Medina schools roll out student success and wellness plan

MEDINA, Ohio – Just as they are mandated to do each year, administrators within the Medina City School District presented to the board the district’s student success and wellness program and while the program is state mandated, state funding for the initiative has diminished. “In the past, the state provided us funds as a separate grant, but this year the program is funded through what we get for the general fund,” said Assistant Superintendent Kristine Quallich. “So in a sense it was like the money was taken away from us and then included in the general fund.” Quallich said the district received roughly $519,000 from the state and 50 percent is supposed to be used for mental and/or physical health initiatives. Quallich told the board the money is used to fund the district’s five prevention counselors as well as the district’s Hope Squad programming. “Four of the five prevention counselors are licensed therapists and they provide the Hope Squad programming which is a suicide prevention curriculum,” she said. “The counselors integrate that at all levels so that is something students K-12 are receiving. We are also working on a program for our preschool students.” As the state mandates, the district also coordinates with two separate entities which include the Medina County Health Department and the Medina County Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board. Quallich said through the ADAMH Board, the district receives QPR training which is the mental health version of CPR. “That stands for question, persuade and refer,” she said. Money is also used to fund mental health awareness week throughout the district as well as mental health supports and referral services.